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Looking for trUBL: Using mass spectrometry to study Ubiquitin and the Ubiquitin-Like Modifiers

Ubiquitin, a small and ancient signaling protein, is chemically attached to other proteins in the cell to mark them for destruction (in addition to other critical functions). Malfunctions in the ubiquitin system have been implicated in many disease states, including neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases) and cancer.

The ubiquitin-like modifiers (ULMs) comprise a diverse group of small polypeptides (SUMO, ISG15, NEDD8/RUB1, URM1, FAT10, etc.) which, like ubiquitin, are also covalently conjugated to 'target' proteins (or other biomolecules) in a reversible manner. While these modifiers appear to play many critical roles in cell function, most of them remain very poorly understood.